Protective system.



N0. 7|4,355. Patented Nov. 25, I902.

AQH. ARMSTRONG. PROTECTIVE SYSTEM.

(Application filed Mar. 80, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Ju x x )b m Wifinessgs. InvenGor. 9 fHber C Hflrmsfirqng $4. I MM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT H. ARMSTRONG, OF SOHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEYV YORK.

PROTECTIVE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,355, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed March 30, 1901. Serial No. 53,622. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ALBERT H. ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Protective Systems, (Case No. 2,012,) of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to transmission-lines, and more particularly to overhead lines adapted to carry .high-potential alternating current, and comprises certain means for reducing the danger attendant upon the i use of such lines in city streets or other populous localities.

In carrying my invention into practice I place beneath the high-tension wires an auxiliary conductor or network of conductors so connected as to cause an opening of the circuit of any one of the transmission-lines in case it should break and fall upon said auxiliary conductor or network of conductors, the opening of the circuit taking place before the transmission-line can fall to the ground in case it is not prevented by the auxiliary conductor 'or network of conductors from doing so.

The invention will better be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which represents one embodiment of my invention.

The scope of my invention I will set forth more particularly in the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates any source of currentas, for example, a threephase alternating-current generator, shown in this case as connected to the three-phase step-up transformers 2. The primary windings 3, 4, and 5 are connected in delta, as shown, while the secondary windings 6, 7, and 8 are star-connected, the common connection between the three secondaries being represented at 9. This common connection is grounded, as shown at G, for reasons hereinafter. set forth.

The secondary conductors 1O, 11, and 12 extend through circuit-breaking devices 13, 14., and 15 of any usual or well-known character suitable for the purpose, the continuations of the transmission-lines being carried upon the pole-line indicated diagrammatically in part by the poles 16 17, carrying the cross-arms l8 and 19, upon which are mounted insulators to which the transmission-lines are secured in the ordinary manner. Mounted below the set of cross-arms represented at 18 and 19 is a supplementary set of crossarms represented at 20 and 21, these crossarms carrying auxiliary conductors 22, 23, and 24, extending from arm to arm and, if desired, interlaced, as shown, so as to form a sort of network to intercept the fall of any one of the transmission-lines upon the crossarms 18 and 19 in case of breakage of the same. The set of auxiliary conductors is grounded in any suitable mannerfor example, by the ground connection, (indicated at G.)

In case of a breakage of one of the transmission-lines 13, 14, and 15 it would be intercepted before it could reach the ground by the auxiliary conductors or network 22 23 24:, by which it will be immediately grounded through the ground connection G, thereby, in connection with the ground G at the station end of the line, causing a momentary short circuit, and thereby opening one of the corresponding circuit-breakers 13, 14, and 15. The transmission-line will thus be rendered dead before it can reach the ground in case it should happen to drop thus far, and will thus be'rendered harmless.

It is obvious that various rearrangements of the details of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, for which reason I do not wish to be limited to the precise arrangement shown.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- 1. The combination of a source of current, overhead lines extending therefrom, an'auxiliary conductor or conductors located so as to intercept the fall of one of said overhead lines, and means controlled by the engagement of said overhead line and said auxiliary conductor or conductors for open-circuiting said overhead line.

2. The combination of a source of current, overhead lines extending therefrom, an auxiliary conductor or conductors located so as to tor or conductors for rendering said overhead line harmless.

3. The combination of overhead lines, and a network of interlaced conductors extending substantially parallel to said lines and located so as to intercept the fall of one or more of said lines.

4. The combination of overhead lines, and a grounded metallic network of interlaced conductors extending substantially parallel to said lines and located so as to intercept the fall of one or more of said lines.

5. The combination of a source of alternatingcurrent,overhead transmission-lines leading therefrom, grounded auxiliary lines located below said transmission-lines, a ground connection to a point of neutral potential on the alternating-current system, and circuitbreakers in operative relation to said transmission-lines and responsive to contact between a transmission line or lines and said auxiliary lines.

6. The combination of a source of alternat ing ourrent,overhead transmission-lines leading therefrom, grounded conductors below said transmission-lines, a ground connection toa point of neutral potential on the alternating-current system, and circuit-breakers in operative relation to said transmission-lines and responsive to contact between a transmission line or lines and said grounded conductors.

7. The combination of a source of alternating current, overhead transmission-lines extending therefrom, auxiliary conductors located so as to intercept the fall of a transmission-line, and means controlled by the engagement of said transmission-line and said auxiliary conductors for open-circuiting said transmission-line.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of March, 1001.

ALBERT H. ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, EDWARD WVILLIAMS, Jr. 

